Mail-bag-delivering apparatus.



No. 896,969. PATENTBD AUG. 25, 1908.

M. A. BEARD. MAIL BAGr DELIVERING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED IFBB. 13, 1908.

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No. 996,969. PATENTBD AUG. 25, 1909,. M. A. BEARD. Y

MAIL BAG DBLIVBRING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED 1113.13, 1908.

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MICHAEL A. BEARD, OF GURDON, ARKANSAS.

MAIL-B AG-DE LIVERING APPARATUS.

Applieatien ined February is, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MICHAEL A. BEARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Gfurdon, in the county of Clark and State of Arkansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Bag-Delivering Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mail-bag delivering apparatus, andhas forits object to provide a simple apparatus of this character which may be located adjacent a moving car for effectively receiving mail-bags therefrom.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description and it will be understood that changes in the specific structure shown and described may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a top plan view of the present apparatus, Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the parts in an operative position, Fig. 3 is a front elevational view, Fig. 4 is a rear elevational view,Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1, Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the bag holding means.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is shown a mail-bag delivering apparatus 1() consisting of longitudinally extending supporting beams 11 and 12 connected at their ends by transverse beams 13 and 14 respectively. Vertically extending uprights 15 and 16 respectively are secured upon the `beam 12 at the ends thereof, and similar uprights 17 and 18 are supported upon the beam 11 at each end thereof. The u prights 17 and 13 are somewhat shorter than the uprights 15 and 16, as shown. Connecting the uprights 15 and 16 respectively at the upper edges thereof there is shown a longitudinally extending beam 19, and a similar beam 20 is supported upon the uprights 17 and 1S respectively. The beams 19 and 2O are connected by transversely extending beams 21 and 22, as shown. The beams 19 and 2() are further connected by transversely extending bars 23 and these bars are arranged in spaced relation to the beams 21 and 22 respectively. The beam 2() is provided with a forwardly extending bracket 24, for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

Pivotally mounted upon the bracket 24 Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 25, 190s.

seria No. 415,722.

there is shown an arcuate member 25, and this member is provided with outwardly extending and spaced arms 26. Each arm 26 adjacent its outer end and upon its inner side is beveled upwardly as shown at 27, and arranged upon these arms at the beveled portions there are shown metallic plates 23 which are provided at their outer ends with right angularly extending teeth 29.

Carried by each arm of the arcuate member -there is shown upwardly extending brackets 30 to which are pivoted as shown at 31 at their upper ends arms 32 and 33 respectively. The outer ends of these arms are beveled as shown at 34, and upon these beveled ends there are shown metallic plates 35 which are provided with depending teeth 36, as shown. Coil expansion springs 37 are carried by the member 25, and these springs are arranged to bear at their upper ends against the under side ofthe arms 32 and 33 respectively. These springs are thus 'arranged to hold the outer ends of the arcuate member normally engaged with the outer ends of the arms 32 and 33 respectively. The arms 26 adjacent their outer ends are provided with pivoted levers 33, and these levers are provided with portions 39 which are arranged for engagement at times upon the under side of each of the arms 32 and respectively when it is desired to disengage the outer ends of either of the arms 32 and 33 respectively with the arms 36.

The bracket 24 is provided with an upwardly extending arm 40, and this arm is provided with a transversely extending member 41. Each arm 33 is beveled upon its upper face at the rear end thereof as shown at 42 and these beveled portions of the arms are thus arranged for engagement atA times beneath the member 41 whereby the outer ends of either of these arms 32 and 33 may be held in spaced relation to the outer ends of the arms 26. The arcuate Vmember 26 is provided with vertically extending notches 42 located upon the outer edge thereof adjacent the pivotal point7 and these notches are provided to allow free movement of this member, the notches being arranged at either side of the arm 40.

The arcuate member is cut away upon its rear face as shown at 43 thus terminating at a shoulder 44 adjacent the outer end of each arm. Arranged adjacent each shoulder 44 there are shown hooks 45, for a purpose to be hereinafter described. The beam 20 is provided with brackets 46 and 47 respectively, and these brackets carry horizontally revoluble rollers 48. The rollers 48 of either of the brackets are arranged to receive a flexible cable 49, and this cable at its inner end' is provided with a weight 50 arranged for vertical movement. The cable is arranged to be engaged at times with either of the hooks 45.

A longitudinally extending rod 51 is disposed at the rear of the beam 19 and this rod has its ends engaged in passages in the beams 21 and 22 respectively. Pivotally mounted upon the rod 51 at each end thereoil inwardly of the beams 21 and 22 there are shown bag supporting members 52 and 53 respectively and these members consist of spaced rods 54 and 55 which are connected at their inner ends by a curved portion 56, and 'at the lorward ends these members are provided with transversely extending aprons 57 which are arranged to extend outwardly of the beam 19. The beam 19 is provided with horizontally extending rollers 58 located above the aprons 57, and these rollers are provided v'for a purpose to be hereinafter described. Latch members 60 are carried by the beam 19, and these members are arranged to engage the shoulders 44, of the arms 26.

l/Vhen it is desired to receive mail-bags, the'arcuate member' is swung on its pivot until one or the other of its arms 26 extend outwardly of the beam 19. It will of course be understood that one end of the arcuate member is swung outwardly when the car is traveling in one direction and the other end of the arcuate member is swung outwardly when the car is traveling in a reverse direction. After the proper end of the arcuate member has been swung outwardly as shown in Fig. 2 oi the drawing the arm 32 is engaged at' its inner end beneath the arm 41, and the cable` is afterwards engaged with the hook carried by the arm 26, as shown. The latch member adjacent this arm is then engaged with the shoulderl 44 and the arcuate member and the arm 32 is thus held in an operative position with its ends in spaced relation. rIhe bag supporting member adjacent the arm 32 is thus free from the under side of the arcuate member, land the apron 57 carried by the bag supporting member is swung below the beam 19, the rods 54 and 55 being swung upwardly, as shown.

Any bag delivering means may be provided by a railway car for delivering to the present receiver, andupon delivery of a bag to the receiver it will be seen that one end of the bag will be engaged between the outer end of the arm 32 and the outer end of the arm 26, and upon movement of the car it will be seen that the arcuate member is turned to disengage the arm 26 'from its latch, and the arm 32 will also be disengaged from the member 41 whereupon the weight and its cable which is connected tothe arm 26 will draw the arm inwardly, and in this direction of the arm the end of the bag opposite from that engaged between the arm 26 and the arm 32 will be supported by the apron 57, and upon travel of the arcuate member it will be seen that the arms 54 and 55 will be engaged thereby and thus elevate the free end of the bag.

What is claimed is:

1. A mail-bag receiving apparatus com-, l

prising a horizontally disposed arm arranged for pivotal movement, bag engaging means carried at each end of the arm, and bag supporting means located adjacent each end of the arm.

2. A inail-bag receiving apparatus comprising a supporting frame, a horizontally disposed arm pivoted upon the frame and arranged to lie at times with its end inwardly of the frame, and at times with one of its ends outwardly of the frame, and bag engaging means carried at the outer end o1u each arm.

3. A mailbag receiving apparatus comprising a supporting frame, an arcuate member pivota y mounted upon the frame, spring pressed bag engaging arms carried by the arcuate member at the outer ends there of, said arcuate member being arranged to extend at times with one, end outwardly of the frame, a latch member arranged to engage the arcuate member when said member is in an operative position, means for drawing the end of the arcuate member inwardly of the frame at times, and bag supporting means carried by the frame and operable by the arcuate member.

In testimony whereof I my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

MICHAEL A. BEARD. Witnesses:

R. O. REYNOLDS, LEE BARTON. 

